Beautiful Nandhi Devar in Srisailam

Lord of the temple is praised by Saivite Saints Gnanasambandar, Appar and Sundarar in their Thevaram hymns.  This is the only the temple in north praised in Thevaram hymns.

Lord Shiva is a swayambumurthi. This the birth place of Bhagwan Nandhi. This is the only Shiva temple in Andhra Pradesh praised Thevaram hymns. Srishailam is one among the 12 Jothirlinga Sthalas of Lord Shiva.

The temple is open from 5.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. and from 5.30 p.m. to 10.00 p.m. Devotees are permitted to perform the pujas themselves only during the morning for a fee of Rs. 600/=.

Sri Mallikarjunar Temple, Sri Shailam-518 100 (Tiru Parupatham), Andhra Pradesh.

The temple is at the top of the hill facing east with Gopurams-towers on four sides.  The main entrance is at eastern gopuram.  There is a Nandhi made of stone in front hall at the entrance.  Lord Siddhi Vinayaka blesses the devotees at the entrance.  There are six temples said to have been built by Pandavas.  There is also a temple built in marbles for Lord Shanmuga.  Temples of Mother Rajarajeswari, Mother Annapoorani, Lord Sahasralingeswarar and Pancha Nadeeswaram are of spiritual importance.  The South Tower is called Ranga Mandapam.  The marriage hall-kalyana mandapam is at the east entrance.

Mechanized boats are available to visit Nagarjuna dam.  There are chatrams for the convenience of the devotee.  The temple is 3 km upward from the foot of the hills.  As the temple is in a dense forest region, private vehicles are prohibited from 8.00 p.m. to 6.00 a.m next morning.  Only Government buses are allowed.  The devotee crowd is huge on Mondays and Fridays.

Chandra Gupta was the ruler of Mallikapuri region.  His daughter Chandrarekha, a Shiva devotee was worshipping Lord with jasmine and Arjuna flowers available in the region, hence the name Mallikarjuna of Lord here.  It is the faith of the Hindus that worshipping Nandhi Bhagwan during the Pradosha days even in small temples promises their wishes, the benefit of doing so at Srishailam, the very birth place of Nandhi is certainly manifold promising total salvation.

Sri Shailam in Andhra Pradesh is one among the 12 Jyothilinga Sthalas.  If Mount Kailash is the capital of Shiva sthalas, Sri Shailam occupies the second place.  The holy land is third in  rank among the 51 Shakti Peetas of Mother Uma.  It is said that the benefits of offering lakhs of alms-Dhans at Kurukshetra, bathing 2000 times in holy Ganga, performing penance on the banks of Narmada, living thousand years in Kasi can be derived by worshipping Lord Mallikarjuna once in life time, declares Skanda Maha Purana.

The hill is but Nandhi Himself on whom Lord Shiva is seated and ruling.  It is in this place  Nandhi became the vahan of Lord Shiva.  It is very beautiful.  While the Shiva shrine is at a lower level, Mother Pramarambal shrine is up by 30 steps.  The statue of devotee Mallamma shedding Bhakti tears is so realistic that no visitor can afford to miss.  There is a mutt here where Pandavas are said to have stayed.  The foot prints of Bheema are carved on a rock.  As Lord Shiva stood here with His trident, this is placed on the Vimana of Lord Mallikarjuna.

Sage Siladha performed severe penance on Lord Shiva seeking child boon.  Two sons were born to him, Nandhi and Parvathan.  Sanakadhi Rishis called on the sage and said that Nandhi would live on earth only for a short while.  Siladha fell in grief.  Nandhi assured his father and said that he would win death by his penance on Lord Shiva.  Pleased with his penance, Lord Shiva appeared and made him His vahan and also passed the order that devotees should come to Him only after being allowed by Nandhi.  Nandhi’s place of penance is at the foot of the hills known as Nandiyal.  His brother also performed penance of Lord and became a hill Parvatha Hill Parvatha Malai in Tamil.

Moolavar : Mallikarjuna, Srishaila Nathar, Sri Parupathanahar

Amman / Thayar :  Pramarambal, Parupatha Nayaki

Thala Virutcham :  Marudha tree

Theertham : Pala river

Old year : 1000-2000 years old

Historical Name : Thiruparupatham

City : Srishailam

District : Kurnool

State :  Andhra Pradesh

Thirumurai 1.118

திருப்பருப்பதம்

பாடல் எண் : 1

சுடுமணி யுமிழ்நாகஞ் சூழ்தர வரைக்கசைத்தான்
இடுமணி யெழிலானை யேறல னெருதேறி
விடமணி மிடறுடையான் மேவிய நெடுங்கோட்டுப்
படுமணி விடுசுடரார் பருப்பதம் பரவுதுமே.

பாடல் எண் : 2

நோய்புல்கு தோறிரைய நரைவரு நுகருடம்பில்
நீபுல்கு தோற்றமெல்லா நினையுள்கு மடநெஞ்சே
வாய்புல்கு தோத்திரத்தால் வலஞ்செய்து தலைவணங்கிப்
பாய்புலித் தோலுடையான் பருப்பதம் பரவுதுமே.

பாடல் எண் : 3

துனியுறு துயர்தீரத் தோன்றியோர் நல்வினையால்
இனியுறு பயனாத லிரண்டுற மனம்வையேல்
கனியுறு மரமேறிக் கருமுசுக் கழையுகளும்
பனியுறு கதிர்மதியான் பருப்பதம்பரவுதுமே.

பாடல் எண் : 4

கொங்கணி நறுங்கொன்றைத் தொங்கலன் குளிர்சடையான்
எங்கணோ யகலநின்றா னெனவரு ளீசனிடம்
ஐங்கணை வரிசிலையா னநங்கனை யழகழித்த
பைங்கண்வெள் ளேறுடையான் பருப்பதம் பரவுதுமே.

பாடல் எண் : 5

துறைபல சுனைமூழ்கித்தூமலர் சுமந்தோடி
மறையொலி வாய்மொழியால் வானவர் மகிழ்ந்தேத்தச்
சிறையொலி கிளிபயிலுந் தேனின மொலியோவாப்
பறைபடு விளங்கருவிப் பருப்பதம் பரவுதுமே.

பாடல் எண் : 6

சீர்கெழு சிறப்போவாச் செய்தவ நெறிவேண்டில்
ஏர்கெழு மடநெஞ்சே யிரண்டுற மனம்வையேல்
கார்கெழு நறுங்கொன்றைக் கடவுள திடம்வகையால்
பார்கெழு புகழோவாப் பருப்பதம் பரவுதுமே.

பாடல் எண் : 7

புடைபுல்கு படர்கமலம் புகையொடு விரைகமழத்
தொடைபுல்கு நறுமாலை திருமுடி மிசையேற
விடைபுல்கு கொடியேந்தி வெந்தவெண் ணீறணிவான்
படைபுல்கு மழுவாளன் பருப்பதம் பரவுதுமே.

பாடல் எண் : 8

நினைப்பெனு நெடுங்கிணற்றை நின்றுநின் றயராதே
மனத்தினை வலித்தொழிந்தே னவலம்வந் தடையாமைக்
கனைத்தெழு திரள்கங்கை கமழ்சடைக் கரந்தான்றன்
பனைத்திரள் பாயருவிப் பருப்பதம் பரவுதுமே.

பாடல் எண் : 9

மருவிய வல்வினைநோ யவலம்வந் தடையாமல்
திருவுரு வமர்ந்தானுந் திசைமுக முடையானும்
இருவரு மறியாமை யெழுந்ததோரெரிநடுவே
பருவரை யுறநிமிர்ந்தான் பருப்பதம் பரவுதுமே.

பாடல் எண் : 10

சடங்கொண்ட சாத்திரத்தார் சாக்கியர் சமண்குண்டர்
மடங்கொண்ட விரும்பியராய் மயங்கியோர் பேய்த்தேர்ப்பின்
குடங்கொண்டு நீர்க்குச்செல்வார் போதுமின் குஞ்சரத்தின்
படங்கொண்ட போர்வையினான் பருப்பதம் பரவுதுமே.

பாடல் எண் : 11

வெண்செநெல் விளைகழனி விழவொலி கழுமலத்தான்
பண்செலப் பலபாட லிசைமுரல் பருப்பதத்தை
நன்சொலி னாற்பரவு ஞானசம் பந்தனல்ல
ஒண்சொலி னிவைமாலை யுருவெணத் தவமாமே.

Civaṉ tied round his waist a cobra that spits a gem which emits rays.
riding on a bull without riding on a beautiful elephant tied with bells that produce a sound;
we shall praise the paruppatam which has lustre given by the big gems that lie in the high peak, where Civaṉ who has a neck beautified by the poison, dwells with desire.

when the skin which is attached to diseases shrinkles.
think of all your appearances with which you are attached in this body which enjoys sensual pleasures, when grey hairs appear.
my ignorant mind which thinks of ever so many things!
bowing your head, going from left to right;
with our mouth full of his praises.
we shall praise the paruppatam of Civaṉ who wears as dress the skin of a tiger that pounces on its prey.

having born to be removed from the sufferings which give you disgust.
(my mind!
) do not be double-minded as upi cam get a good benefit by a virtuous act done previously;
verse no.
6, we shall praise parupatam of Civaṉ who sears a crescent of cool rays, where the langur climbs on the fruit trees and leaps towards the bamboo.

Civaṉ wears a garland of fragrant koṉṟai which has honey.
has a cool caṭai.
the place of Civaṉ who is praised as the god who remains to remove our diseases we shall praise the paruppatam of Civaṉ who has a white bull of tender eyes and who destroyed the beauty of Anaṅkam who has five arrows and a bow of many bandages [[Anaṅkaṉ is not used in its derivative sense.]]

to be praised with joy by the celestials who bathe in the mountain springs which have many ghats running carrying flawless flowers, and chanting the true words of the Vētam-s according to their accent.
where the noise made by the wings of the parrots and the noise made by the bees are prevailing always.
we shall praise the Paruppatam of shining streams which make a sound like the sound of the drum,

my ignorant mind which is very active!
if you wish for the path of penance which is never separated from eminence and fame.
do not be double minded (see verse no.3) we shall praise paruppatam whose many kinds of fame in this world never ceases;
which is the place of the god who wears fragrant koṉṟai which blossoms profusely in the appropriate season of winter.

holding a flag on which the form of a bull is drawn, the fully-blossomed lotus which has spreading petals incense other fragrant substances and fragrant garlands which are fastened to be pleased on the holy head.
we shall praise paruppatam of Civaṉ who has the weapon of a battle-axe and who smears well-burnt white sacred ash.

I definitely decided in my mind without confusion, standing for a long time near the deep well of thoughts.
in order that sufferings might not reach me.
we shall praise paruppatam which has streams in which collection of fish, by name paṉai leap;
belonging to Civaṉ who concealed on his fragrant caṭai Kankai, a collection of water which came with a great noise.

in order that sufferings that are the fruits of the irresistible acts to which we are accustomed and become prostrate.
Māl who has tirumagal on his chest and Piramaṉ who has four faces.
we shall praise paruppatam of Civaṉ who grew erect like a big mountain in the midst of the fire which rose high so that both of them could not know the head and feet.

(People of this world!
) having the desire of possessing ignorance by the cākkiyar and the low camaṇar who have deceptive religious works.
getting confused.
those who want to draw water from the mirage taking a pot, go, we shall worship paruppatam of Civaṉ who has covered himself with the cloth of a skin flayed from an elephant.

the native of Kaḻumalam which has the bustle of festivals and fields in which white paddy and red paddy are produced.
on paruppatam where music is sung along with songs set to the tune of melody types.
it is equal to penance if one repeats many times these verses which were composed using beautiful and good words by Nyāṉacampantaṉ who praises god with good words.